


Femininity Can Be Gender Neutral

by literaryFRIVOLOUSneophyte



Category: Free!
Genre: Gen, Trans Character, Transgender
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-15
Updated: 2014-02-15
Packaged: 2018-01-12 12:11:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1186066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/literaryFRIVOLOUSneophyte/pseuds/literaryFRIVOLOUSneophyte
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Makoto likes dresses and Kou makes Adventure Time references.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Femininity Can Be Gender Neutral

An upbeat song played on the radio on Kou's bedside table, filling a brightly colored room with happy music, but the faint sound of crickets lingered in the background noise. Outside, the warm summer air was crisp and slow to wander through the window. Pale pink curtains decorated with cutesy sea creatures fluttered towards two figures standing in the room; Makoto stood awkwardly as Kou paced between them and the closet, pulling out dresses and laying them on a neat bed. Makoto gripped fistfuls of a dress already on their body so it wouldn't hug their hips.

Pretty white laced adorned the neckline of the teal dress. Where it reached just above their knees, the edge of the dress was embroidered with flowers similar to the ones Makoto grew outside their house. The sleeves had already been cut off, because it wouldn't fit their toned arms. However, the garment still hung oddly on their square shoulders. 

Makoto shifted nervously in the dress as Kou walked circles around them. "Are you sure it looks nice?" they asked.

"Of course it does!" Kou stopped pacing to look at Makoto. "But it doesn't quite fit your shoulders."

She disappeared into her closet and rummaged around to find something to help. Makoto sat down cross-legged on the bed besides the clothing and looked at the curtains while they waited.

This wasn't the first time Makoto had tried out or gone out in public in a dress, but Kou's excitement to dress up with a friend had rubbed off on Makoto. None of the members of the swim team were especially interested in dresses, except for Haru, who occasionally wore skirts on hot days.

Their knees poked out from the fabric, and they picked at a scab they had gotten from tripping near the school pool while they waited for Kou to come back out of the closet.

Dresses are wonderful, Makoto thought. In all honesty, they would love to wear dresses everyday, but dresses can't be worn into swimming pools. And neither can high heels, frilly things, jewelry. This preference never really meant anything to Makoto, besides influencing their wardrobe, until they were exposed to other trans people. If they liked dresses, perhaps they were transfeminine like their literature teacher and should be trying out she/hers pronouns. Maybe they would feel more comfortable experimenting with themed pronouns like fae/faers.

In the end - except there is no end to how confusing gender can be - Makoto decided they could just like dresses without being a boy or a girl. And some time this year they would look into themed pronouns. Fae/faers was too cute to pass by without a second thought.

"This should do it!" Kou exclaimed as she brought out a matching shawl for the teal dress. Makoto stood up so Kou could drape it over their shoulders. Kou stood back to admire her work, tucking the shawl neatly around their neck.

"Perfect! Do a twirl for me?"

Makoto gave her a smile and spun for Kou. She smiled back and told them, "Green is definitely your color."

"Thanks," Makoto said, letting go of the handfuls of their dress.

"Is it okay if I dress right here?" Kou reached for another dress laid out on the bed.

Makoto nodded, and Kou pulled aside a starkly red dress from the pile for herself. While slipping off her shirt, she said, "Femininity can be gender neutral, too. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Kou looked sternly at Makoto when they laughed. "I'm being serious! I'm sick and tired of masculinity being the only road towards androgyny." 

"I wasn't making fun of you," Makoto said.

"I know, but I'm going to hammer this into your head. Repeat after me - femininity can be gender neutral!"

"Femininity can be gender neutral."

"I am the best!"

"I am the best."

"I love weddings!"

"I love weddings?"

"I love love!"

"Isn't this from Adventure Time?" Makoto asked.

"Say it!" Kou persisted. 

"I love love."

"That's the spirit!" Kou laughed. "Hey, if you're BMO, who am I?"

"Definitely Marceline," Makoto said.

"Oh! Why so?"

"You have her teeth."

The song finished and the station continued onto a fast-paced pop song. The two danced and twirled in their dresses, laughing together, while the wind carried the song over to the crickets.


End file.
